DREAM Weekly: March 25-April 7, 2018

​​DREAM Weekly on Disability and Higher Education in the News: March 25-April 7, 2018

From DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring

Sponsored by the National Center for College Students with Disabilities and the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
 
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* Concussion tests in schools and colleges may not work well on students with learning disabilities and ADHD: https://slate.com/technology/2018/03/concussion-testing-doesnt-work-as-well-for-athletes-with-disabilities.html
 
* Did you follow the NCAA basketball championship?  Then you probably know about 98-year old wheelchair-using Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt of Loyola, the team mascot and chaplain with a loyal following: https://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2018/03/this-years-basketball-star-is-a-98-year-old-woman-in-a-wheelchair/
 
* Like many of his peers, Colton Vazquez has toured colleges, made his selections, and is awaiting acceptance letters; he is also one of many students with Down syndrome taking advantage of inclusive higher education programs across the country: https://www.publicsource.org/meet-colton-a-student-with-down-syndrome-who-plans-to-take-part-in-the-wave-of-inclusive-higher-ed-programs/
 
* #VetMedUnited national movement is working to raise awareness of mental health needs and suicide rates among veterinary students, who often struggle with seeking help: http://dnews.com/local/wsu-veterinary-students-unite-raise-suicide-awareness/article_766a828e-3236-52d4-b831-014317d1fa5d.html
 
* University of Chicago student Charles Thomas was killed by campus police officers after brandishing a metal pipe during a mental health crisis; the campus police department has a long history of racial profiling and complaints against officers: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/04/06/uchi-a06.html
                                                  
* Marcie Lipsitt has filed thousands of complaints about school and college websites violating accessibility laws, but the Office of Civil Rights created a new rule that will allow them to ignore individuals like Lipsitt who file multiple complaints: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2018/04/02/new-ignore-disability-complaints/24924/
 
* 30 years after the Deaf President Now movement at Gallaudet University, the campus continues to work on ways to increase Deaf leadership and employment (video has captions but no audio description): https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/04/03/gallaudet-deaf-president-now-30-anniversary/464611002/
 
* Karan Alexander is suing SUNY for allegedly kicking her out of the graduate-level nursing program because she uses a wheelchair and she “can’t be a nurse,” even though Alexander pointed out that she is already a nurse: https://nypost.com/2018/04/02/nurse-in-wheelchair-sues-suny-for-alleged-expulsion-over-disability/
 
* It’s the 50th anniversary of providing disability services at the University of Connecticut’s Center for Students with Disabilities, founded in 1967 by a nurse: http://dailycampus.com/stories/2018/3/30/uconn-csd-celebrates-50th-anniversary
 
* Students at the University of Minnesota are complaining about funding for disability services, policies that give professors excuses to refuse accommodations, and a lack of data about disability (http://www.mndaily.com/article/2018/04/n-disability-resources-feel-strain-of-increasing-student-needs) at the same time the university is bracing for potential shortfalls in funding for infrastructure, including disability-related access projects (http://www.mndaily.com/article/2018/04/n-universitys-heapr-request-highlights-infrastructure-need)
 
* A new study says many students in performing arts experience traumatic brain injuries and are at risk of CTE, which has typically been associated with athletics: https://coed.com/2018/04/05/university-of-ohio-study-performing-arts-head-injuries-traumatic-brain-injuries/
 
* Rahul Bajaj is the first person with a disability in India to win a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford: https://www.thebetterindia.com/136574/rahul-bajaj-rhodes-scholarship/
 
* The Herd of Love student organization at Marshall University in WV offers students with disabilities notetaking services and help getting to and from class during winter months, working closely with the Office of Disability Services: https://marshallparthenon.com/16904/news/herd-of-love-club-offers-assistance-to-disabled-students-on-campus/
 
* Johns Hopkins students are protesting the firing of the Student Disability Services director and asking for disability to be part of campus diversity initiatives and academics: http://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2018/04/students-with-disabilites-demand-better-resources
 
* For students in Title IX hearings, trauma-informed approaches are becoming more common, but do they help students remember details and navigate the system, or just bias the system against accused students? https://www.chronicle.com/article/Trauma-Informed-/243049?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=0d2480d2f33a4b89a1e9bed955218d1c&elq=98a2e4a56ca74924840fdb601c738ecb&elqaid=18501&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=8313
 
* The University of Connecticut decided not to establish a wheelchair basketball program, despite several sources of funding and equipment: http://dailycampus.com/stories/2018/4/3/disappointing-decision-is-difficult-to-accept
 
* The University of North Texas has a disability services office, but students have to negotiate their own accommodations outside of classes: https://www.ntdaily.com/students-who-are-blind-find-campus-accommodations/
 
* A conference in Ireland focused on accessibility for university students and strategies for advocacy and activism: http://www.universitytimes.ie/2018/03/calls-for-improved-accessibility-at-national-disability-conference/
 
* The University of Illinois has launched a Center for Wounded Veterans to serve student veterans, modeled after the campus disability services office: https://dailyillini.com/news/2018/03/29/university-outreach-program-addresses-student-veteran-challenges/
 
* Yale University surveyed students about mental health services, and only one third of respondents said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their care: https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2018/04/05/students-criticize-mental-health-services/
 
* The University of Maryland Senate has voted to require all online university information to be accessible for students with disabilities: http://www.dbknews.com/2018/04/05/umd-senate-website-accessibility-disability/
 
* At Rowan University’s medical school, nearly one-fifth of the student body has joined a new listserv about disability awareness, set up by three medical students with disabilities: https://whyy.org/articles/cooper-medical-students-with-disabilities-push-for-culture-change-in-medicine/
 
* For over ten years, Georgetown students with disabilities have worked to improve disability services, policies, and access on campus so they can take advantage of the opportunities it has to offer: http://features.thehoya.com/as-accessibility-falls-short-students-take-charge
 
* The University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate created a Committee on Disability Access, retiring or changing several other committees focused on disability: https://badgerherald.com/news/2018/04/03/faculty-senate-votes-to-create-committee-aimed-at-increasing-accessibility-for-disabled-students-on-campus/
 
* Catholic universities are increasingly seeing disability services as part of their mission to care for the whole person and serve marginalized communities: https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/catholic-colleges-and-universities-increasingly-provide-support-students-special-needs
 
* Montana State University has launched a new LIFE Scholars program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to take courses and learn job skills: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montana_state_university/msu-offers-new-hope-for-students-with-disabilities/article_f0ca9d48-86c2-5e6b-8c71-75987d43a818.html
 
* Syracuse University published a video of its “Disabilities as Ways of Knowing” with professor Steve Kuusisto reading and discussing his new book about using a guide dog – Have Dog, Will Travel (video is captioned with no audio description):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRlR6zz04KI&feature=youtu.be
 
* Autism awareness events and World Autism Day are being recognized on many campuses – here are a few news items:

• An article in the Syracuse University Daily Orange newspaper shares stories of several autistic students and their experiences in undergraduate and graduate programs: http://dailyorange.com/2018/04/su-students-continue-dialogue-ahead-world-autism-awareness-day/
• The University of South Carolina is publishing a list of faculty who work on issues related to autism: http://www.sc.edu/uofsc/posts/2018/03/autism_experts_2018.php#.WsgFHYjwY54
• Read about seven ways to support autistic voices during Autism Acceptance Month: https://themighty.com/2018/04/autism-acceptance-month-how-to-help/
• Santa Fe College launched a “Spectrum of Success” webpage for neurotypical students, faculty, and employees, and resources for students on the spectrum: https://news.sfcollege.edu/2018/04/03/celebrate-the-spectrum-a-success-at-sf/
• The Autism Spectrum Program at Fleming College in Ontario is using the opportunity to teach others about autism and to share information about the program and its peer support group (video has no captions or audio description): https://globalnews.ca/news/4118635/with-flag-raising-fleming-college-spreads-autism-awareness-on-campus/
• Utah Valley University is lighting up its logo with blue as part of Autism Speaks’ “Light it Up Blue” campaign: http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-valley-university-turns-blue-for-autism-awareness

 
* Despite being an atheist, Stephen Hawking was laid to rest in a Christian funeral in Cambridge, and the university’s porters (staff responsible for security and other duties) served as pall bearers; they were the ones who originally ensured accessibility of campus for Hawking’s wheelchair: https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/classic-funeral-for-hawking-219955
 
* The family of Steven Schmitz is suing Notre Dame University and the NCAA for failing to protect the former football player from brain injuries; he passed away in 2015 after having symptoms of CTE: https://www.diehards.com/notre-dame/notre-dame-football-steven-schmitz-concussions-cte
 
* Appalachian State University’s Accessibility Council focuses on disability issues but also identifies as one of six LGBT-oriented clubs on campus: http://theappalachianonline.com/2018/03/30/27201/
 
* An elevator broke at the Nairobi campus of the United States International University, and now a wheelchair user is suing because she was late for exams and had to be carried up and down stairs, but the campus denies any wrongdoing and says she doesn’t have a disability because she never checked a “disability” box on her medical form: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/04/04/usiu-denies-wrongdoing-in-lawsuit-over-broken-lift_c1740228
 
* Biology professor and researcher Michael Bereman was diagnosed with ALS (“Lou Gehrig’s Disease”) and now he is researching environmental causes of it: http://www.technicianonline.com/news/article_fc79ce12-379b-11e8-9cbb-8f496b0c09d2.html
 
* Learn about the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to audit courses and take life skills classes: https://www.chalkbeat.org/posts/in/2018/03/28/riding-the-bus-making-friends-most-of-all-this-indianapolis-program-teaches-independence/
 
* All buildings at the University of Texas Austin must have an accessible entrance, but an op-ed in the student newspaper says the campus needs to do more to improve limited access inside many of those buildings: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/04/02/it-is-time-for-entirely-accessible-buildings-at-ut
 
 
And a few related items of possible interest to college students:
                                                                                        
* Twitter updated its reporting page so users can report any offensive or hateful content specifically related to disabilities: https://www.zdnet.com/article/twitter-updates-reporting-guidelines-to-include-people-with-disabilities/
 
* The well-known blue and white parking space “disability” symbol with a wheelchair is evolving, but who started the evolution and why?  https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/wheelchair-symbol-redesign
 
* Have you ever used the term “Asperger’s”?  Researchers are learning more about Dr. Asperger and his disturbing and complicated connection to Nazis: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/opinion/sunday/nazi-history-asperger.html
 
* Popular game Fortnite is under fire for its “Durrr Burger” restaurant and merchandise, which critics say make fun of people with disabilities: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/5963080/fortnite-durr-burger-petition-ban/
 
* The Kansas City Royals signed minor league player Tarik El-Abour, who is believed to be the first autistic major league baseball player: https://www.royalsreview.com/2018/4/2/17190224/royals-sign-player-believed-to-be-first-professional-baseball-player-with-autism
 
* Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is calling on the US Olympic Committee to help athletes who are experiencing depression and other mental health struggles, with problems often turning into a crisis after Olympic games: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/03/28/i-straight-wanted-to-die-michael-phelps-wants-usoc-to-help-athletes-cope-with-depression/?utm_term=.0c3b6feb22e0
 
* Human Rights Watch published a report facing women and girls with disabilities in India, including sexual violence statistics: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/05/health/india-disabled-sexual-assault-survivors-intl/index.html
 
* Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”) and his mother have both battled depression and want to help others: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/02/entertainment/dwayne-johnson-depression/index.html
 
* Christian Jessa Duggar of the TV show “Counting On” posted several videos on Instagram saying anxiety is a sin, prompting many other Christians and theologians to argue that it’s an illness deserving compassion and treatment: https://themighty.com/2018/04/counting-on-jessa-dugger-anxiety-christian-john-piper/
 
* There’s a difference between inclusion in the arts and including people with disabilities in discussions about inclusion, says an article in the University of Michigan newspaper: https://www.michigandaily.com/section/arts/lead-art-and-disability
 
* Acclaimed opera singer Sophia Grech is sharing her story of being autistic: http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/16140470._quot_Anything_is_possible_____Opera_singer_Sophia_Grech_opens_up_about_living_with_autism/ 
 
* Kelly had sex to prove she was “normal,” and then realized communicating about her disability helped her enjoy sex even more: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/evqgkm/how-sex-changed-for-me-after-embracing-my-disability
 
* It’s a record 24 months for increases in employment rates for people with disabilities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/18/04/p11483301/ntide-march-2018-jobs-report-job-growth-for-americans-with-disabilitie
 
* Scarlet attends Riverdale High and is autistic, joining the Archie comics during Autism Awareness month: http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2018/04/comic_book_executive_why_i_created_a_character_with_autism_opinion.html
 
* A new TV show, “Pablo,” is the first in the U.S. to have a star and cast who are autistic; the show is about a boy using his imagination to handle social situations and anxiety: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2018/04/03/kids-show-features-cast-autism/24928/
 
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This week’s issue of the DREAM weekly e-mail is available at the DREAM website, with archived back issues available, as well (http://www.dreamcollegedisability.org).  For more information about DREAM or AHEAD contact Wendy Harbour ([email protected]).

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By the way, please don't presume DREAM, the National Center for College Students with Disabilities, or AHEAD agree with everything in these links we send out - we're just passing along the information so you can form your own opinions.  Thanks.